The New York Hillbillies?
Paul Henning, the show’s creator, actually had a unique inspiration to draw from when he came up with the idea for The Beverly Hillbillies. Paul took a camping trip with some friends in the Ozark Mountains near Branson, Missouri.
Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan (Granny), Max Baer Jr, and Donna Douglas. Source: MoviestillsDB.com / Copyright: Filmways, CBS
The people and culture of this area started to spark his interest. Paul, who was a producer and screenwriter at the time, began to wonder what it would be like if a family from a rural community, like the Ozarks, suddenly became rich and moved to an upper-class neighborhood. While developing the script, Paul first thought about dropping the Clampetts in the middle of New York City. But he later changed his mind and moved the sitcom family to Beverly Hills, California.